Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to a head mounted device to be mounted on a head of a user.
Description of the Related Art
Head mounted devices are conventionally known that include a display unit that displays an image, and are mounted on a head of a user when used. Such a head mounted device is referred to as a head mounted display (HMD) and can provide an image of a virtual object to a user in motion. Recently, the HMDs have been used in various fields.
A configuration of a general head mounted device, including a display unit, can be roughly divided into the display unit that displays an image to the user and a holding member for securing the display unit to the head of the user. The holding member is required to secure to the head of the user with sufficient tightening force, while be safely and easily removed. The holding member is also required to have a flexible shape that can be modified as appropriate to fit to the head shape of a particular user.
A mechanism for a head mounted device is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-200325, which uses a belt as the holding member to satisfy the above requirement(s).
The head mounted device discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-200325 includes a display unit that displays an image, a belt extending from the display unit to the back of the user's head, and a belt extending from the display unit to the top of the user's head. The two belts prevent the user's head from slipping through a space between the belts and the display unit, and as such, overall stable securement of the head mounted device can be achieved. The belts and length of the belts are independently adjusted which provides sufficient tightening force suited to the shape of a particular user's head.
A mechanism of a head mounted device discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-010127 employs a pad and a wire member as holding members to satisfy the above requirement(s).
The head mounted device discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-010127 includes a display unit that displays an image, a wire member extending from the display unit to the back of the user's head, and a pad that contacts a portion around the top of the user's head. The pad prevents the user's head from slipping through a space between the display unit and the wire member, and as such, overall stable overall stable securement of the head mounted device is achieved. The length of the wire member and the protruding amount of the pad toward the top of the user's head are adjustable, which provide sufficient tightening power suited to the shape of a particular user's head. The length of the wire member and the protruding amount of the pad are adjustable in an interlocked manner by operating a knob.
While these conventional head mounted devices provide suitable tightening force/power, a position of an auxiliary member (a belt in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-200325 or a pad in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-010127) which assists the holding member, can be difficult to adjust.
For example, when the user wears the head mounted device discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-200325, the user first roughly adjusts the belts and length of the belts, and then mounts the head mounted device on the user's head. After the head mounted device is mounted, the belts and positions and tightening of the belts are adjusted. In this case, one of the belts might be inappropriately tightened even though the other belt is well positioned and fastened. When this happens, the user needs trial and error to loosen the belts, and to readjust the position and fasten the belts. This can be cumbersome for the user, and hinder appropriate position adjustment.
When the user wears the head mounted device discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-010127, the knob is operated to adjust tightening of the wire member and a protruding amount of the pad. The positions of the wire member and the pad may not be appropriately adjustable depending on the shape of the user's head.